The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-03-17
FOR THE FARMERS
Something About Tobacco.
The Low Prices and Dizziness of Trade
"A Change Demanded in the Pres
ent System of Farming The
Need of Diversifcation on
the Farm, &c.
[Danyille Register. ]

Maj. w. t. Sutherlin one Of the
most intelligent and practical men in
Virginia, and whose words Of advise
are worthy of careful consideration,
says this for the benefit of the tobacco
farmers:
The extreme low price of tobacco
and the dullness of the trade with
manufacturers and dealers, is causing
great anxiety among farmers of this
section of Virginia and North Caro-
lima, and the constant inquiries by my
friends and neighbors as to the cause,
and how to remedy their evils have
induced me reluctantly to write this
letter
l deem it proper first to direct at
tention to some of the reasons for the
existing state Of depression.
The production of tobacco is in ex-
cess of the demand, the accumulation
| is SO great that but few people will
/ purchase it, except at prices that are
ruinous to the producers, becuase they
do not now see when or where they
can dispose of it for a profit. This
over production has been going on for
years, until it has reached its climax
The fact that tobacco kept up in
price longer than any other article Of
farm product .of this country, induced
many to abandon the cultivation Of
cotton and grain, and even to plow
up beautiful fields of blue grass to
make Tobacco, until about one-half of
all the States are producing large
quantities of tobacco. In this way
accumulation has become SO great,
and the price SO low, that it strikes
terror to producer, manufacturer and
dealer alike. Nearly all are loaded
down with stock, and new crop just
thrown upon the market further de-
presses trade and reduces prices. In
addition the cultivation of tobacco ex-
tends all over the world, and many
foreign countries that were important
purchasers of our product are getting
a large part of their supplies else
where.
In many sections tobacco has been
grown on unsuitable lands, and by un-
experienced and unskilled cultivators,
without suitable buildings and other
appliances for its proper handling
greatly increasing the supply of mfe-
rior grades that cannot be prohtably
; used for any purpose, thus adding to
the already accumulated stock of poor
tobacco to further depress a prostrats
market.
The habit of many landowners ii
this section to entrust the cultivation
of their farms to ignorant and un
skilled tenants who make nothing bu
common tobacco that will not sell fol
enough in many cases to pay for the
fertilizers, or even the hauling anc
warehouse charges, has much to dt
i with the cry of " hard times now
| The purchase of provisions and fertil
izers in such large quantities, is one o
the great evils of our system, and tha
+, alone if persisted in, will ruin us.
Another evil is the general ten
denCy to over cropping. The mista
ken ambition of many tobacco grow
ers is to aim for quantity rather tha
quality, ignoring the fact that on
J. pound of fine tobacco will sell on tn
markets for more than five or even te
pounds of common, and also the incl
nation to hold on to the old maxim {
y "the lower the price the larger tn
crop"
The indispostion to raise horse
cattle, sheep and hogs and the lltt
attention given to poultry, vegetable
er and fruits, contributes largely to tt
~ ~ lack of prosperity and home comfor
of the farmer.
Another reason for our depressic
and lack of prosperity is that, notwitl
J standing we constitute about one-ha
the population of this country, we a
practically without representation
the councils of the nation, and a
common prey for all professions al
Callings The result is we are heavl
I'd taxed to protect all other industries,
ny foreign countries in great measu
ny against our surplus products, forcil
ire us to accept home market with CO
We tinued reduction in prices, and e
e., hanced charges on what we buy. '
are confronted on all sides by mono
olists, and also by powerful organic
tions of all other classes of workln
men, to protect their labor and {
- hance their wages, while the farmt
are plodding along, each one thinki
and acting for himself, independent
the rest.
might continue this list of err
n and mistakes, but | have said enou
to arrest the attention of the thoug
fI1l reader. and he can supply